Oslo Cycling — Sørkedalen Loop

When I want a change from my usual routes on the east side of Oslo, I often head over to Sørkedalen — especially if I'm planning to combine it with the climb up to Tryvann. The valley itself is a beautiful out-and-back: twenty-one kilometres, virtually no traffic, and you're in proper countryside within minutes of leaving Røa.

The opening stretch passes Bogstad Gård and Oslo Golf Club, both on your left. By the time you're two kilometres in, the city feels like a distant memory. The road rolls gently — nothing steep, nothing sustained — and the valley gradually narrows as you push deeper into Sørkedalen.

Around the nine-kilometre mark you reach the heart of the valley. When I'm here, I almost always stop at Sørkedalen Landhandel og Kafe — a charming country store with good coffee and baked goods. It's the kind of place where you lean your bike against the wall and linger longer than you planned. Check opening hours before you go, especially outside high season.

Beyond the café the road continues into upper Sørkedalen, climbing gently through increasingly quiet farmland and forest. The turnaround comes at roughly ten kilometres, where the road reaches its highest point at around 190 metres before you simply turn and retrace your steps. The return is faster — a slight net downhill and the wind often at your back.

It works beautifully as a quick morning spin, a recovery ride, a first ride of the season, or simply an excuse to visit the café. Many riders do two or three laps and turn it into a proper session — the valley never gets old.